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Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Bay of Fundy counting on tide of support in 7 wonders contest

Yahoo Canada News - Tue Dec 30, 8:50 AM

NEW BRUNSWICK (CBC) - A Maritime treasure is up against Mount Everest and the Grand Canyon to become one of the new seven natural wonders of the world. But before competing with those world favourites, the Bay of Fundy must beat out stiff competition from various Canadian candidates in an online contest to determine a new list of the world's greatest natural attractions.

The world's highest tides are up against Gros Morne National Park in Newfoundland and Labrador, which currently tops the Canadian nominees in voting, and Dinosaur Provincial Park in Alberta, which is trailing the Bay of Fundy. The top five Canadian candidates also include Long Point Sand Spit in Ontario and Perc? Rock in Quebec's Gasp? region.

Supporters of the Bay of Fundy, such as Terri McCulloch, are urging people to cast their last-minute votes before Wednesday's deadline. She's spearheading the official supporting committee to make the bay one of the seven natural wonders of the world in the international contest.

"This is kind of the big times, like the Olympics for popularity contests when it comes to natural attractions," McCulloch said.

As the only Maritime attraction in the contest, McColloch said support has been coming in from Cape Breton to Prince Edward Island. McCulloch said the Bay of Fundy has more than just the highest tides in the world.

There are also fossils, including the smallest dinosaur bones, along with whales, sandpipers and the potential for tidal power.

McCulloch, who lives in Parrsboro, N.S., said the competition has given her a better feel for the region. Each country gets to nominate one natural attraction. Anybody can vote until the midnight Dec. 31 deadline.

McCulloch said she'll find out in early January whether the bay makes it to the next round.

The online contest is being led by the New7Wonders Foundation. According to its website, the foundation was started in 2001 by Bernard Weber, a Swiss-born Canadian filmmaker and adventurer, to create greater cultural diversity for the planet and protect the world's natural heritage.

This is the second worldwide vote to honour the new seven wonders of the world. In 2007, more than 100 million votes selected the wonders listed below: